Healey, Tolman contrast approaches to AG's job

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Milford Daily News

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Posted Aug. 16, 2014 at 1:59 AM

Posted Aug. 16, 2014 at 1:59 AM

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By Andy Metzger

State House News Service

BOSTON - The two Democrats seeking the office of attorney general have said they would take significantly different approaches to the job, with Warren Tolman saying he would stretch the powers of the office into charged public policy arenas and Maura Healey saying she would use her years of experience within the office to uphold the laws.

"We fundamentally see the role of attorney general as quite different," Healey told the News Service after a joint appearance late Thursday on on the WGBH program Greater Boston. She said, "Warren talks a lot about his days on Beacon Hill, but the job of attorney general is really one of chief law enforcement officer. Youíre not a political figurehead. Thereís a difference. And youíre not the legislator in chief or the public policymaker in chief. Youíre the attorney general. Youíre there to enforce the law and to be the peopleís attorney, and thatís what my experience is."

Tolman said he agreed they have completely different approaches and said Healeyís statement that she wouldnít seek to intervene in the ongoing dispute within the Demoulas family over the fate of the Market Basket chain of supermarkets is a prime example.

"A perfect example is the Market Basket issue. Youíve got a significant negative impact on the economy. Youíve got employees that arenít getting paid. You got one company and two people that are causing it to fall apart. Iím not going to wait for someone to call me up and say, ĎPlease, Warren, would you look into this?" Tolman told the News Service. He said, "Iím going to use this office in a different way."

In a half-hour segment, host Emily Rooney found general agreement between the two candidates on the need to implement the medical marijuana law effectively and their disappointment with the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, where an unarmed 18-year-old black man named Michael Brown was shot and killed Saturday by an unidentified member of the largely white police force Ė an incident that led to protests, rioting and a crackdown by local law enforcement that launched tear gas and reportedly fired rubber bullets.

"What I see now is terrible. There should be accountability. There should be transparency," Healey said. "There was no need to withhold the name of that officer, and people are frustrated."

"This isnít the first time, and if we donít act it wonít be the last," said Tolman, referring to a recent police chokehold death in New York City. He said, "Sunshine is the best disinfectant here, and we need to make whoeverís accountable for these actions be accountable."

Healey said she had experience training law enforcement in civil rights and Tolman said he would use his leadership skills to bring together police and community leaders.

Page 2 of 2 - The Republican in the race, John Miller, who did not attend the program, has run on a platform of bringing greater professionalism to the office.

On the brewing Market Basket feud, Tolman said he wouldnít have waited weeks Ė as Gov. Deval Patrick did Ė before getting involved and pushing for an agreement, and Healey said she would make sure workers were not being mistreated, though she was wary of an AG inserting herself into the dispute.

"Itís a time for leadership. And you donít wait. You donít try to search the statute and say, ĎOh, gee. Can I do this?í No. Often the authority comes with apparent authority," Tolman said. He said, "Whether you have the authority or not, they will listen."

"I donít know that we want an attorney general whoís going to show up on peopleís doorsteps. Usually we do that when we have a subpoena in hand," said Healey.

While Healey said she would not support legalization of marijuana, Tolman conditioned his stance on that subject.

"Until Iím sure that there is no negative impact there and Iím sure thatís itís not a gateway drug, Iím not going to be one whoís going to be pushing for legalization in Massachusetts," Tolman said. Quizzed by host Emily Rooney, Tolman said he had used marijuana. Healey told the News Service she had used marijuana, too.